Registration under way for Chinese proficiency testing

KALAMAZOO--The Confucius Institute at Western Michigan University will host a testing site for levels 3 to 6 of China's Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi language proficiency test.

Registration is required by Sunday, March 18. The testing will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 14, on WMU's main campus. The speaking test will not be available.

The HSK test is usually offered only once per year, and no other Michigan school will be offering it in the next few months.

Designed and developed by the HSK Center of Beijing Language and Culture University, it is a standardized proficiency test for Mandarin, the key Chinese dialect taught at WMU, the Portage Public Schools and most other U.S. schools.

HSK is the only test for non-native speakers of Chinese that is recognized without limitation in the People's Republic of China. It is available to foreigners such as business people and students, as well as to Chinese citizens living overseas.

The WMU testing site is open to all Chinese language learners. The fee is $40 for level 3, $50 for level 4, $60 for level 5 and $70 for level 6.